USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Weed and Pathogen Risk Assessment

*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis.

ARS Office/Lab and Location: A postdoctoral research opportunity is available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), located in Frederick, Maryland.

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency with a mission to find solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. ARS will deliver cutting-edge, scientific tools and innovative solutions for American farmers, producers, industry, and communities to support the nourishment and well-being of all people; sustain our nation’s agroecosystems and natural resources; and ensure the economic competitiveness and excellence of our agriculture. The vision of the agency is to provide global leadership in agricultural discoveries through scientific excellence.

Research Project: This fellowship is part of a project prioritizing invasive plant species for surveillance and management based on their risk as potential vectors for the introduction and spread of foreign plant pathogens. The participant will help to identify invasive weed species and geographic locations within the United States where there is a risk for foreign plant pathogen persistence or spread to agricultural crop hosts. 

Learning Objectives: The participant will learn to compile and analyze existing data sources to: 1) prepare a list of invasive weed species known to host foreign plant pathogens, and 2) map geographic locations where there is greatest risk of foreign pathogen transmission between invasive weeds and crops. 

Mentor: The mentors for this opportunity is Michael Fulcher (michael.fulcher@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: April 2024.  Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full-time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.

ORISE Information: This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and ARS. Participants do not become employees of USDA, ARS, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

Questions: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process, please email ORISE.ARS.Northeast@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields or be currently pursuing the degree with completion before the appointment start date. Degree must have been received within three years of the appointment start date.

Preferred Skills and Experiences:

• Ability to work independently to achieve research objectives
• Ability to work as part of a diverse team
• Experience with geographic information systems (GIS)
• Experience with statistical analysis using specialized computer software
• Knowledge of microbial, plant pathogen, and/or invasive weed biology
• Demonstrated ability to communicate research findings in peer-reviewed journals and at scientific meetings